Treatments

Vitiligo Surgery (Skin Grafting) Vitiligo (Leucoderma) is common disease & there are many misconceptions about the causes and cure about vitiligo. IIAM Groups Skin & Laser Clinic at Pune provides best treatment to cure vitiligo in Pune. We suggest vitiligo surgery for those patients who have stable vitiligo and not responding to other treatments. It gives early results than medical treatment.

What is vitiligo surgery & how does it work?

Vitiligo surgery is the grafting of white patches with tissue taken from normal part of other body area to give instant cover of white color with normal body color.Depigmented (white) patches when not increasing in size & number for long period called as stable vitiligo & not responding to medical & other treatments then surgery is the best option. It is very simple & day care procedure.

What are methods of vitiligo surgery & how it is done?

There are 2 methods of vitiligo surgery.

Punch Grafting :

In this procedure local anesthesia is given & multiple thin grafts of size 2-2.5 mm diameter are taken from donor site (normal body part, usually from buttocks) & grafted onto white patch. Then dressing is done on both areas & kept for 8-10 days. This procedure usually takes 1-2 hours.

Suction Blister Grafting :

In this procedure a local anesthesia is given & prolonged suction (negative) pressure is applied on donor site (normal body area usually buttocks) for 2-3 hours with large syringe. It results in large bleb (blister) formation over skin surface then this blister is cut with scissor & grafted on to white patch. Dressing is put for 8-10 days. This procedure takes 5-6 hours. Before grafting mild abrasion is done on white patch for proper holding of graft.By these both procedures melanocytes (black cells) which are present in graft taken from normal body part are transferred to white patch which helps in stimulation of pigment (black color) formation in white patch. This gives instant coverage of white color with normal body color. Grafts taken from normal body area create wound which usually heals in 7 days. After removal of dressing Nbuvb phototherapy is suggested for proper spread of color. Final result comes after 2-3 months.Result of suction blister grafting is more cosmetic than punch grafting.

In what conditions it is done?

This surgery is done in stable vitiligo means when depigmented (white) patches are not increasing in size & number for long period & not responding to medical & other treatment.It is done when only 2-3 patches are present & patient want early result.

Is vitiligo surgery safe, painless & cost effective?

• It is very safe & painless as done under local anesthesia.

• It is also very cost effective.

• As such there are no side effects.

What is time duration & how many treatments will be required?

Punch grafting usually takes 1-2 hours depending on area to be treated but suction blister grafting takes 5-6 hours. Only one sitting is sufficient but sometimes one more sitting may require.

What are the advantages of this procedure?

• This procedure gives fast result.

• It is day care procedure & does not require hospital stay.

• One treatment is sufficient for good result.

What are the precautions of pre & post treatment?

• As such there are no special precautions of pre treatment.

• Mild pain will be there on both sites for 2-3 days which is manageable with medicines.

• Dressing is kept for 8-10 days .So avoids water contact & take proper care of wound.

• Wounds usually heal in 7-10 days.

• Don’t move operated part too much & also avoid any friction so that grafts will remain properly on site.